Google, Sony, Facebook and Other Tech Companies Form Global Virtual Reality Association for VR Unification

The realm of virtual reality is about to get global. Some of the world's top tech companies have merged to form a Global Virtual Reality Association in the spirit of collaboration and cooperation.

The goal of the organization, while still unspecified, focuses on transparency and cooperation, and the cooperation of ideas. 

According to Futurism, big names such as Acer Starbreeze, Google, HTC Vive, Facebook's Oculus, Samsung, and Sony Interactive Entertainment have created the non-profit to develop VR technology.

In the press release, it says that the organization aims to promote responsible development and adoption of virtual reality on a global scale. The members of the association will be in charge of developing and sharing best practices, research and bring the international community together in progress.

This can help address growing issues in the community, such as the compatibility of headsets with the software and hardware of other brands. The organization may also address issues on ethical responsibility associated with the creation of virtual environments.

According to Tech Crunch, the formation of an organization can finally make steps to unify standards in terms of hardware and software across the broad spectrum of virtual reality. 

This is because, for instance, games in the Oculus store cannot be played n the Vive or PSVR and vice versa. A universal system can allow more people with more variations of their access to VR technology. This also allows VR to have a centralized system where even small-scale enterprises can dwell into and make improvements on. 

Interestingly, the International Business Times reports the absence of Microsoft and Apple due to their differing stances on the future of VR.

For instance, according to IBTimes, Microsoft has announced its Windows Holographic platform in January, and the HoloLens is being poised as an Oculus rival, not to mention that it is being picked up for high-end military applications.

Meanwhile, Apple appears to be more focused on augmented reality.